Egypt elections may be delayed until October, Morsi says

Egypt President Mohammed Morsi sees parliamentary elections being held in October, state media reported on Wednesday, driving the country deeper into political turmoil. A court earlier this month already suspended elections scheduled for April.

Egypt may hold parliamentary elections in October, state news agency MENA quoted President Mohamed Mursi as saying on Wednesday, dragging out the country's turbulent political transition for at least six months.

Mursi said the approval of a new election law could take two and a half months.

Preparations for the election would then take another two months.

"Perhaps the elections will be held in the coming October," MENA quoted him as saying.

The delay could give the government the political breathing space to negotiate a deal with the International Monetary Fund for a $4.8 billion loan seen as vital to easing Egypt's deep economic crisis. The deal implies unpopular austerity measures.

It may also allow time for Mursi to convince the opposition to take part in the election. Secular-minded parties had planned to boycott, saying the existing election law was drafted to suit the Islamists.

Addressing the Egyptian community in Doha, Mursi said he expected the new lower house of parliament to convene before the end of the year, MENA reported.

Earlier this month, a government minister said he expected Egypt to sign a deal with the IMF by the end of June and to receive the first tranche of the loan by then.